White grader Neil Holcroft 496 was also present in the BriSCA Heritage John Cayzer car, looking on the pace. Ex-European Champion Lee Fairhurst 217 was out on the loose stuff debuting his new shale BriSCA F1 stock car.

The Whites and Yellows first heat is definitely one not to miss and so it was the case with over thirty lower graders taking to the track. Luke Dennis 192 was first away with newcomer Steve Anderson 120 being slow away at the green bunching up the field behind him. Steve Malkin jnr 308 bounced up and over one of the big infield marker tyres causing some confusion as cars reacted causing a tangle as the following field piled in, sending Geoff Nickolls 215 into a half spin and left perched half on the infield.

Ian Noden 306 lamped Les Spencer 98 with Spencer being forced to retire with a flat. Noddy came to grief not long after on turn three after a big pile up of cars on the bottom bend left him stranded across the track. Dennis led them away as towards the rear Rich Masterson 103 and Russell Cooper 415 came a cropper with Cooper going up over Masterson with Rich skidding to the infield and Cooper losing control down the backstraight and nearly flipping.

By now the infield was littered with BriSCA F1s as the attrition rate was high. Nigel Whalley 198 had moved purposefully through the carnage, still using his old F1 stock car and was making steely progress towards long time leader Luke Dennis 192 but there was too much of a gap present to reel him in before the flag. Returning Tim Farrell 467 kept out of trouble to take third.

It was soon time for heat 2 with nearly thirty cars taking to the track including overseas visitor Rutger Valk H27 and the first outing of the new Lee Fairhurst 217 shale car. Dylan Williams Maynard 51 was back in his tarmac car but was unfortunately pushed off before the start. Tim Warwick 307 took up the running out front but soon felt pressure from Dan Squire 291 before feeling the star graders breathing down his neck.

Experienced Coventry yellow graders Ian Noden 306 and Geoff Nickolls 215 ended their second race on the bounce in disaster after Barry Heath 343 waded into Noden and the following cars piled in leaving the two stranded.

The star graders of Craig Finnikin 55, Andy Smith 1, Matt Newson 16 and Tom Harris 84 were racing together, jostling for position until Smith broke clear leaving Newson to line up Finnikin for a punt. This sent him out to connect with Harris who went into a half spin. At the half way point Smith was on leader Dan Squire 291 as Michael Scriven was forced out to clip the homestraight armco by the marauding Finnikin and Harris.

Dan Squire was attempting to deal with Mike Kingston jnr 188 with the two tangling on turn three, managing to find the fence together on turn one while leader Andy Smith swept to a comfortable win with Lee Fairhurst taking seventh in his shale car’s debut.

Heat three immediately followed with Mick Rogers 244 getting it sideway and Steve Cayzer 380 being turned round and being knocked from pillar to post as cars piled in. Chris Bonner 105 neatly moved himself into the lead as Mark Gilbank 21 and Dan Johnson 4 were racing hard with each other, exchanging hits and places. Ryan Harrison 197 quickly made his way into second but sucumbed to pressure from Johnson.

Mike Williamson 111 had been having a good run and looked to be on for a good finish unti getting into a scuffle with Chris Brocksoppp 338. Chris Bonner yielded to Johnson and Gilbank holding on for a good third place only to be later disqualified from the race bumping Ryan Harrison up into third.

Dylan Williams Maynard was the solo red top for the Consolation with the Coventry standard of eight qualifiers going through to the final. Newcomer Rob Tunnah 505 set the pace looking comfortably composed out front in his striking F1 Stock car.

Murray Harrison 97 set off apace bumpering Mark Woodhull 335 but getting hooked up, before freeing themselves from each other at the other end. Murray continued dishing it out, thumping into Ian Noden who tried to return the favour with interest but just missed and sailed towards the fence at speed.

Longtime leader Tunnah was away and flying until he overcooked it on the pitgate turn gifting Geoff Nickolls the lead but he had Murray Harrison reeling him in. Nickolls was going in to the bends quite wide to avoid contact but Murray moved in on the last bend to take the lead and the chequered.

The final rolled onto track with Steve Malkin snr 208 taking the lead only for yellows to bring a halt to proceedings as Colin Nairn 280 skidded into turn three on his roof. Lee Fairhurst pulled to the infield before pulling back onto track as they set off again.

BriSCA F1 stock car star grades do battle. Photo Paul Tully

At the green, Ryan Harrison got straight into Luke Davidson as Rob Cowley 73 who had been bumped down the order after getting hooked up on Steve Cayzer thumped into Murray Harrison sending him sideways into Scott Davids 462. Andy Smith was leaning on Matt Newson giving him a nerf tap but Newson held him off and Smith, Newson and Ryan Harrison flew into three and four together with Newson and Harrison getting momentarily ensnared allowing Smith to break clear.

Upfront Geoff Nickolls moved into the lead but soon had Mark Woodhull 335 on his back bumper. Woodhull soon claimed the lead for himself with a fast paced Andy Smith relegating Nickolls to third by the halfway point.

Smith was reeling in Woodhull and it was not long before he was in the lead and powering on. Woodhull was slowed by getting tangled with Colin Goodswen 372 who was in his second shale outing in preparation for his Semi-Final, which was all the opportunity Tom Harris 84 needed though he was unable to challenge for the lead and Smith went on to take the chequered unopposed.

The Grand National was the last race of the night with over thirty cars taking part. Andy Smith took his lap handicap which soon evaporated when the yellows were shown closing the field up. Les Spencer 98 led the field away but soon had Matt Newson 16 chasing him down and inheriting the lead for himself. The following Craig Finnikin attempted to deal with Spencer but found it neccessary to reinforce his position sending Spencer into a half spin.

Finnikin used the lap down Barry Heath 343 to attempt to remove Newson but Newson capably dealt with the assault. As the laps rolled down Andy Smith was moving through the field with steely purpose but there was too much distance for the laps that were remaining. On the last bend Smith went for a big hit on second place Tom Harris but missed but drove away with a creditable third place making him top’s point scorer with a near maximum of over sixty points.

Another decent meeting with a swift turnaround and the track being well watered between races. Ex-F1 stock car driver Ashley Boam (191) was also present and did a few demonstration laps in his UK sprint car.